Konvekta-Excel joint venture to offer transport A/C, refrigeration solutions

Konvekta AG is setting up a joint venture company in India with Excel Industry Co. LLC of the Excel Group of Ajman, UAE, its long-time sales agent and service partner. The 75:25 JV between Konvekta and Excel Industry, to be headquartered in Mumbai, will assemble Konvekta roof top air-conditioning units for buses by mid-2011 and localize components over the next few years.

The growing demand for bus air-conditioning and the high market potential, as well as the expanding activities of Konvekta customers in India, have all encouraged the company to venture into the Indian market.

The JV will initially offer air-conditioning solutions for the premium range of city buses and coaches as well as for buses for export from India. The company is also in discussion with potential technical after-sales partners in order to have a nationwide service network by the end of this year.

Konvekta is also planning to establish another joint venture with Excel Industry for assembling refrigerated vehicles. Excel will hold 75 per cent and Konvekta the balance 25 per cent of the equity in this project. In India, the incidence of food wastage is very high, estimated at close to 40 per cent of food production. One of the key reasons for such high wastage is the lack of organized cold chain and refrigerated transportation. This offers a good opportunity for chilling and deep-freezing trucks, the market for which is expected to grow by 15 per cent annually in the coming years.

The Konvekta-Excel JV aims to provide a one-stop solution in air-conditioning and refrigeration for the Indian transport industry.

At the global level, Konvekta AG, together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of thermo systems for commercial vehicles and rail cars in Germany and elsewhere. It offers roof-mounted air-conditioning units and climate control systems for mini-buses, midi-buses, city buses, inter-urban buses and coaches, driver and passenger compartment air-conditioning units for rail cars, and air-conditioning and automatic control systems for construction and farm vehicles.

The company also provides transport refrigeration and fresh food units for refrigerated vans, compressor drives and brackets, evaporators and condensers, general heat exchangers and electrical components, as well as components for air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Founded in 1957 Konvekta AG is based in Schwalmstadt, Germany with subsidiary locations in Turkey, Argentina, Indonesia and China.